Allens

Westpac’s defunct mortgage unit RAMS has accused a class action by former franchisees of attempting to “hijack” civil penalty proceedings by the corporate regulator by seeking to intervene in the case.

A judge will hit pause on two class actions against Coles and Woolworths over allegedly illusory discounts after hearing a bid to bind group members to the findings in related proceedings by the ACCC. 

A court has dismissed a lift supplier’s appeal of a decision rejecting its claim of breach of confidence against a rival, including an “entirely unwarranted” attack on solicitors at Allens over the use of documents obtained by “internet-savvy” search techniques.

A judge hearing a class action over the collapse of mining company Cudeco has questioned why, despite an in-principle settlement being reached with auditor KPMG, the parties have not sought to formally dismiss the claim. 

A judge has signed off on a $59 million settlement in a class action accusing five banks of foreign exchange rate-rigging, while bemoaning the failure of successive attorneys-general to advance reforms clarifying the court’s power to make class closure orders.

In a major win for two class actions and Fortnite maker Epic Games, a judge has found that Apple and Google misused their market power in running app stores and in-app purchase systems.

A judge overseeing class actions against Coles and Woolworths over alleged illusory discounts has raised concerns about a bid to bind group members to findings in similar cases by the ACCC. 

A defects class action against Ford, which has been on foot since 2016, might end up at the High Court for a second time, a court has heard.

The co-owners of the Pacific Werribee shopping centre in Victoria are seeking to join collapsed builder Probuild’s primary insurer AIG and several excess insurers to their case over $356 million in alleged defects.

Atlantic Nickel has lost a challenge to further amendments to a case by failed suitor Mining Services International that alleges it lost the opportunity to purchase a Brazilian mine now valued at over $1 billion.